


Out Numbered

by Narlth



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Monster of the Week, Other, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 10:18:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6150363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narlth/pseuds/Narlth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin sneaks off to tackle the monster on his own, but things don’t go exactly to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out Numbered

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the5leggedCricket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the5leggedCricket/gifts).



It started when fleeing villagers arrived on the outskirts of the lower town, demanding that the king send his best knights out to defeat the monster that was plaguing them straight away. It was quickly established that this was far outside the usual, and thus was how Merlin found his way into great hall, having accompanied Gaius as the king’s consultant on matters such as this. Though as Merlin’s presence had not actually been requested, so he had to linger just out of eyeline. 

“It’s a beast, with hundreds of legs.” Cried one villager, suddenly overcome with emotion, whilst around her the rest nodded vigorously.

“It dragged Simon into the lake and he would have drowned it we hadn’t fought back, and even then it was a close call.” A man said, solemnly, making Merlin wonder, if while Simon had been saved, he had suffered a lot of harm from the ordeal.

Gaius noded wearily, the physician clearly having figured out what the villagers were describing and already forming the words to inform the king of what would need to be done. When he did the tension in the room seemed to grow, and though he could not see the king’s expression, Merlin could practically feel the anger rolling off of him, at the thought of something _magical_ within his lands. Merlin found himself unconsciously trying to make himself as unobtrusive as possible, not wanting to be noticed.

It was of course eventually decided that Arthur and a group of his knights would ride out the following day, because according to Uther even magic could be overcome with might. Therefore once they were dismissed from the meeting, Arthur has Merlin leave him to go make preparations for the next day, which provided him with the perfect opportunity to instead go and consult with Gaius on what he would need to do to defeat the monster. Putting off Arthur’s request until the very last minute and meaning he ended up being late the next morning, of course.

~

The group consisting of Merlin, Arthur and ten knights chosen personally by the king, had set off late, morning. Once Merlin had finally got up and assisted Arthur in getting ready. As a result they didn’t arrive at the lake where the monster had last been spotted until the sun had almost finished setting.

Annoyed, Arthur had had the group hang back in the trees almost out of sight, whilst they went in circles trying to devise a plan of action for the tomorrow. Arthur even sent two of them out to carefully scout out the area and report back if there was anything that could help them in their assault.

Eventually they regrouped.

“We’ll set up a camp here, and launch our attack tomorrow, when we have the daylight.” Arthur declared, the knights agreeing with a nod as they went to set up their own beds. Merlin huffed from behind Arthur, knowing the work that would be in store for him.

“Come on Merlin, you can handle sleeping on the ground for one day I’m sure.” Arthur teased.

“It’s you I’m more worried about.” The servant fired back with a small smile, before he went to unpack the cooking supplies.

~

 

It was too easy to creep away from Arthur and the other knights, especially with a simple spell to silence his footsteps, which was good, as his ever presence clumsiness made an appearance and he tripped. Casting his eyes over everyone, it appeared that no one had been disturbed, and he breathed out a slow breath of relief.

The closer he got to the lake the more Merlin strained his ears, weary in case the monster was awake. Through breaks in the trees he could glimpse moonlight reflecting off of the surface of the lake.

Taking a hesitant step forwards,he strained his ears for any sound of the monster being awake. The surface of the lake appeared still, but for the almost imperceptible ripples caused by the gentle wind of that night.

Merlin’s blue eyes were wide, as he held one hand up in front of himself pushing his magic out, searching. His magic canvassed out across the surface of brushing against the water, before it dipped down into, spreading out into the darkness. For a long minute he was unable to sense anything but the pressing weight of the water, until he did.

Magic encountering something in passing. Merlin halted his magic, waiting for something more, but he could not have predicted what that more would be.

His spell was shattered, causing him to stumble backwards, a hand flying to his chest, as something piercing up through the spell and the surface of the water.

Eyes flying open, he watched as what looked like a vine curled maybe a foot above the water, before sliding slowly, and silently back under. Merlin lean against as nearby tree trying to steady his now heaving chest, that had to be the monster, only a creature with magic could have destroyed his spell so easily.

Now knowing that the beast was awake, Merlin steeled himself, straightening back up, and slowly approaching the lake shore. His magic buzzed at the tips of his fingertips, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice. He could feel his heart rating picking up the longer the surface remained still, almost as if it were waiting for him.

With the next step, and there was a crack as a twitch broke under his shoe. That crack which was apparently the trigger as suddenly vines were pouring from the lake, or rather he realised just a few seconds later- tentacles. 

As the tentacles surged towards him, Merlin throw up a haisty, non-verbal shield, bringing his arms up in front as his face, a few seconds before there was a thunderous thump, limbs battering the shield.

“Ah!” Merlin gasped as he felt his shield weaken under the onslaught, his heals starting to slide backwards on the soft ground.

Less than a minute later and one of the tentacles punched a hole through his shield. Cracks splintered outwards, and soon the whole thing was covered in an intricate spider web, which stood up to only one more impact before it fell, and Merlin quickly found himself entangled.

Everywhere the tentacles touched skin tingled, as their magic began to act on Merlin. His clothes were pulled and tugged in all directions, a few seams ripping. Merlin struggled, trying to pull his arms free, but only succeeding in moving them a few inches, before the tentacles pull him straight back into position.

“Let me go!” He cried but words appeared to have to opposite affect as the hold tightened, and his clothes were ripped further until they little more than rags hanging off of his frame.

One of the limbs snaked about his leg, sliding up the inside of his thigh until it tickling the soft skin of his bum. Merlin arched, his eyes screwing closed as he tried in vain to escape. That’s when the tingling of his skin changed, morphing so it brought a new sensation… _Comfort_.

Comfort as if in the presence of someone with which he would trust his life, along with the indescribable urge to relax into the hold, to give himself bodily over to what was happening. His eyelids dropped slightly and his struggles lessened, almost disappearing. The tentacles on his bum wriggled, sliding between the cheeks and pressing in.

Merlin squeaked, high and choked off. He sagged into the hold, eyes fully closing but not before a dull gold sparked into blue eyes, growing stronger by the second even after being hidden.

Seconds passed, and and the gold was visible from beneath Merlin’s lashes, growing until his closed eye began like two beacons in the dark night.

With a cry, his magic exploded outwards tearing straight through the tentacles and the entire clearing, sending leaves and water flying.

There was a moment as the tentacles fell away to the ground, in which Merlin just hung, unsupported before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

~

When Morning came, Arthur awoke with a groan. He never enjoyed sleeping on the ground, but knew how necessary it was in this case that they be there to protect the kingdom. He rubbed his face, looking around their camp in search of Merlin, expecting that he would have to wake the servant, lest he be left behind, but after a minute or so it became clear that the servant was not there. Merlin’s bed- if it could be called that -was twisted together was if the wind had been at the blankets all night, and if Merlin’s absence was any sign maybe it had been.

“Has anyone seen my lazy servant?” He thought it best to check before he dived completely into his assumptions, hoping that his conclusion had been incorrect.

“No sire.”

“You should leave him if he thinks he can run off and neglect his job.” One of the older knights, Sir Trevor said with a sneer. This earn him glares behind his back from some of younger knights who were not as strict on following all of Uther’s decisions.

Arthur, for once chose not to comment, instead, deciding to get them all moving. The sooner they defeated the monster, the sooner he could look for Merlin, and make sure he was alright.

They packed up the small camp, and headed out back towards the lake, tension building between them, as they got closer and heard nothing.

When they broke from the trees, there was a collective intake of breath at the scene that met their eyes.

It was as if a whirlwind had rampaged the whole area, leaving it an utter mess, but what was on the shore closest to the knights was what really caught their attention.

The ground was soaked, with lake water and blood amongst the destruction and clearly dead limbs of the monster was a body, the lake just lapping at an outstretched hand.

“Merlin!” Panic filled Arthur voice, and before he knew what he was doing he had cross ing the remaining distance, ignoring the knights behind him who warned that the monster may not be truly dead.

Arthur fell to his knees besides Merlin, his hands skating over bruised and exposed skin, letting out a breath he didn’t know he had been keeping when he saw that Merlin was in fact still breathing.

“Merlin?” He gave one shoulder a small shake, immensely relieved when it elicited a small moan from the boy's lips.

Arthur was fumbling with the clasp on his cloak when one of the knight stopped behind him and spoke.

“What happened here?” Too which Trevor replied.

“Only magic could have wrought this much damage.” The knight’s brown eyes narrowed falling on Merlin’s still form. “And that servant was the only on here.”

Arthur’s shoulders where a rigid line as he turned from wrapping Merlin in his cloak.

“What was that?”

“Don’t you think it strange that the servant is the only one around when the monster is killed, clearly using magic?”

“What are you implying, Sir Trevor?” The steel in Arthur’s voice was biting.

“Isn’t it obvious? That that servant has magic, and therefore needs to be locked up.” There were a few murmurs of agreement with this statement, and Arthur struggled to maintain as blank an expression as he could.

“Who here thinks Merlin guilty?” Arthur asked, his eyes sweeping the group before him.

There was as brief shuffling of feet before a few hands lifted, and as more went up, more followed, until there were six hands raised against the four still down. Arthur had to work hard to withhold his rage.

“He is to be given a fair trial once we return to Camelot. He has after all saved my life numerous times.” Arthur said, as if that would be the final word on the matter.

“Sire, wouldn’t it be wise to restrain him, until the trail that is?” Another knight, Arthur couldn’t bring himself to look at suggested.

“You would feel better if he was arrested?” His blue eyes fell back on Merlin’s pale muddied face, he looked completely helpless like this, how anyone could think him evil and in need of arresting was beyond Arthur.

A hand suddenly appeared in front of his face, Arthur had to blink for it too come into focus. Cuffs. His brow furrowed and the corners of his mouth turned down but he refrained from speaking.

Being as gentle as he could Arthur locked both of Merlin’s hands together, before tucking his arms back in under the cloak, and scooped Merlin up into his arms.

“Back to the horse's, then.” Arthur all but snapped, waiting until everyone had started back the way they had come before Arthur himself moved.

With some space between him, and everyone’s backs in his direction, Arthur bent his head close to Merlin’s face.

“I won’t let them hurt you, I promise.”

~

It hadn’t taken them long to get everything packed away and for them to set off, Arthur insisting that the captive ride on his horse so he could keep an eye out for any sorcerer's tricks. He knew in reality that almost none of the knights had been fooled, but darent raise a comment lest they draw their prince’s obvious ire.

They made slower process back towards Camelot then they had on their way out. As a result, by the time Merlin roused, they were only about half the way back.

Merlin had whimpered whenever he had been jolted, though the sounds were quiet, and Arthur wasn’t sure if anyone but him had heard them. That’s why he was alerted to Merlin waking as this whimper was considerably louder than all previous.

Slowing his horse a little, and knowing the knights would have to follow his lead, Arthur had looked down to see two weary blue eyes cracked back open.

“-Thur?”

They locked eyes for a long moment assessing, before Arthur spoke.

“Welcome back. How are you feeling?” He kept his voice low, and quiet, not wanting to be over heard if he could help it. Merlin wriggled in his arms, mentally tallying up everything.

“Exhausted, sore...” Merlin trailed off as he felt the cuffs. “Arthur?” His eyes were suddenly impossibly wide, and blue, his mouth falling slightly open.

“I - I’m sorry Merlin, Sir Trevor thinks because you were the only one around when we discovered that the monster had been killed, that you must be some sort of evil and sorcerer, and that we had to hold you captive until we could prove otherwise.” He finished with a shake of his head, almost failing to notice the distressed look on Merlin’s face.

“Don’t worry I have a plan of course. Nothing’s going to happen to you, we just need to get you back to Camelot alright?” Arthur was relieved at Merlin’s hesitant nod. “Just told on, it shouldn’t take us too much long to get back, and I don’t want you falling off, that would be inconvenient.”

For the remainder of the journey, Merlin remained quiet just for a few moans and whimpers and they travelled over the uneven ground.

When they did arrive back in the castle courtyard, Arthur dismounted and without letting go of Merlin set off to the physician's chambers, blocking the few protests from the knights as the warned of being alone with a _sorcerer_.

“Gaius!” Arthur cried barging his way into the small tower room.

“Sire- Merlin! What happened?” Concern masked the older man’s face for a moment, before he slipped into the guise of professionalism.

“The monster got him whilst we were sleeping.” Arthur hurried to say, laying Merlin on the nearest bed. “But also…”

He didn’t get a chance to finish as Gaius pulled the cloak away to reveal the cuffs locked about slim wrists.

“Sire? What’s the meaning of this?”

“It’s not what it looks like, Gaius. I just need a way to prove to the other knights and my father that Merlin couldn’t have been the one to kill the monster.” Something about the exact phrasing Arthur used, clicked in Gaius’s brain and nodded.

“I will go right away.” With that said the physician was out the door, off to defeat his ward.

With Gaius now got, Arthur reached down to unlock the cuffs from Merlin’s wrists, dumping them harmlessly on the ground.

“Gaius will set everyone straight, don’t you worry about it.”

“...Arthur…” The prince turned back to his servant.

“Yes, Merlin? Would you like something?” There was nakid concern on his face, as he sat on the small stool besides Merlin, he took one of Merlin’s hands in his own rubbing small circles on that back of it.

“Thank you, Arthur. For believing in me.” Merlin’s eyes had started to drop again. “But, ah if you wouldn’t mind getting me a drink?”

“If I really must, lazy bones.”


End file.
